WAG 25-06-03-c: Monthly Reporting

Effective 07/01/79, monthly reporting began in Illinois. All AFDC Cash clients who received earned income were required to report and verify each month's income from employment.

Earned Income Report (Form 43) was created. The first report form was mailed in 06/79 and was due 07/05/79. In 07/79, earned income clients were placed in Group 11 and received their AFDC checks at the end of each month. The 07/79 benefits were
computed based on the client's reported earnings in calendar 06/79 which was reported by 07/05/79.

Under the initial monthly reporting policy, clients were provided with a supply of Form 43, which they sent in every month. Clients were required to continue to report for 3 months following the loss of their earnings.

The Department implemented the Illinois Monthly Reporting Project in the Peoria Family Community Resource Center in 08/81. In Peoria in 08/81, monthly reporting was effective for only cases with earned income. In 09/81, all Peoria County recipients of AFDC were required
to report monthly. Completion of a report form was a condition of eligibility for both AFDC and food stamps.

In 09/81, the Southeast Family Community Resource Center joined the demonstration. At the Southeast Family Community Resource Center, AFDC cases were randomly assigned to a control or an experimental group.

Effective 10/01/82, monthly reporting policy was revised statewide to include all of the following groups:

AFDC-U cases,

cases with earned income,

cases with a child 18 years of age not coded to receive only medical,

cases with a stepparent in the home,

cases which stopped receiving UI.

Cases which stopped receiving UI or lost employment were required to report for 3 months following the loss.

Under the 10/01/82 changes, continued eligibility was determined prospectively and income was budgeted on a 2-month retrospective cycle. The new policy introduced the concepts of budget month, processing month, and payment month to monthly
reporting.

The Food Stamp Act and Federal Regulations required states to implement monthly reporting for food stamp cases. Effective 07/83, food stamp cases in which the FS Payee received AFDC were included in monthly reporting. Form 43 was revised to include
the appropriate food stamp questions.

In 10/83, food stamp monthly reporting was expanded to include FS units in which the FS Payee did not receive a cash grant.

In 05/86, monthly reporting requirements were revised to include the following AFDC and food stamp cases in monthly reporting:

cases with earned income,

cases which lost employment within the last 3 months, and

cases receiving UI.

Monthly reporting continued until the first quarterly reporting demonstration project began in 1996. See WAG 25-06-09-b.